


Undeserved

by dahdeemohn



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Complicated Relationships, Idiots in Love, Insecurity, Introspection, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 18:10:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14360841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahdeemohn/pseuds/dahdeemohn
Summary: In the port town of Capua Nor, Yuri and Flynn reunite.





	Undeserved

The darkness and the downpour made it so that Yuri could not see the blue of Flynn’s eyes, but every time their blades made contact he could feel the way that they bore holes into him. This frantic energy was so unlike Flynn; the slashes too desperate, outright reckless. For a moment, Yuri weighed his options and considered incapacitating Flynn, if only to save him from himself. Then, just as soon as the assault started, it ended. Flynn lowered his sword and Yuri followed suit, both panting heavily and the cold causing their breath to be visible.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Flynn repeated something he had said earlier as he straightened to an upright position. 

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” nodded Yuri, unsure of what to make of this entire display. It wasn’t like Flynn to act foolhardy since taking his place as a knight, despite the size of his big dumb heart. “What about-” Yuri had started to say, but was cut off by Flynn lurching towards him; instinctively, he reached his arms out, and quickly found himself embraced. He could feel damp gloves slide up his neck and then against the sides of his face, holding it in place. Flynn’s blonde hair was plastered to his forehead, and he peered at Yuri with knit eyebrows.

“Why do you never tell me anything?” Flynn’s strained voice was nearly drowned out by distant thunder.

“I’m-” Yuri swallowed hard, not expecting that. Not expecting any of this. Flynn’s mouth was so close and Yuri wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them, but that would be undeserved; not that Yuri had ever done anything to deserve Flynn in the first place. Nevertheless, deserved or not, the want -the need- did not change, but before it could be acted on, Estelle’s voice rang out. 

And almost as soon as Flynn had arrived, he was gone.

Ultimately, Yuri couldn’t be upset. He remained behind in the alley, his head spinning and heart hammering. When he opted to wander the streets of Capua Nor, it did nothing to ease troubled thoughts. While not even remotely sorry for the wanted poster and what he’d done to earn the bounty on his head, Yuri couldn’t take back the concern he’d caused. The disappointed tone hadn’t been lost on him, and it wasn’t the first time that he had heard it; he speculated at what point Flynn would declare he’d had enough, that this was no longer his burden.

When the chill was so relentless that it could no longer be ignored, Yuri returned to the inn. He relied on a confidence that he did not truly feel and entered Flynn’s suite, immediately defaulting to a thin veneer of indifference. The words exchanged between respective parties were barely registered as Yuri’s mind was scattered in every which direction. As everyone began to clear out, he automatically trailed behind the group and tried to distract himself with thoughts of changing into dry clothing.

“Yuri.” Flynn’s voice was suddenly in his ear and a hand now loosely gripped his arm. Yuri tilted his head just enough to acknowledge that he was being addressed. “Can you stay for a bit?”

“Sure.” The hand pulled back, and Yuri fully turned to look at Flynn. “So to what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“Just sit with me.” Flynn gestured to the tufted chairs that had been occupied only moments ago.

“Am I being interrogated?” Hovering over the chair, he remembered the state of his clothing and the thought better of it. “Y’know, I’ve been out on the plains for days and I’m drenched to the bone. I was _kind of_ looking forward to washing up.”

“Oh!” Flynn exclaimed, looking more embarrassed with each passing moment. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think-”

“It’s fine, I can go-”

“-you can use my bath, if you’d like!” They said simultaneously, then stared at one another.

“Alright. I’ll use your bath,” Yuri spoke up, desperate to dispel the silence that swelled between them. Flynn mumbled out some directions, as though Yuri was incapable of seeing where the bathroom was from where he stood. Of course, the opportunity to play dumb was seized as he pointed to the open door that clearly that lead to the room in question, and asked “This one?” 

“Don’t be an ass!” Snorted Flynn, and with that reaction it was as though the friction between them could be felt easing ever so slightly. Yuri smiled despite himself before closing the door behind him; perhaps either out of old habits or against better judgement, he left it open a crack.

Vials filled with presumably expensive oils and lotions were investigated, and the best smelling ones were poured under the running faucet. Once the water rose to the rim of the tub, Yuri shed his clothing and submerged himself, causing a minor cascade to spill onto the floor. “Better not be making a mess in there!” could be heard from the other room, and Yuri’s response was a loud grunt.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had time to sit in a tub, and it was an absolute luxury to soak his battered body. The full extent of exhaustion was not so obvious until he made an attempt at washing himself, but could hardly lift his arms. Sighing, he sunk further in and stared up at the ceiling. 

“Hey,” came Flynn’s voice, at first muffled since Yuri’s head was partially under water. Yuri craned his neck back to look at him standing in the doorway, sans armor and formal regalia.

“Hey,” Yuri parroted back.

“Is it OK if I,” he paused. “If I come in?” 

“Of course.” Yuri wanted to add that he had left the door open for that very reason, just like old times, but his tongue was much too heavy in his mouth; besides, whatever Flynn was wrestling with surely didn’t need mockery added to its weight. He closed his eyes and left Flynn to his own devices, but soon reopened them when he felt the familiar presence so very close. Flynn’s arms rested on the edge of the tub, his fingertips grazing the surface of the water. The proximity made Yuri look away, for Flynn was much too beautiful to stare at, and his brilliance could not be rivaled even by the sun. 

They sat like that long enough for Yuri to feel at ease once more, until he was again interrupted by, “Would you be alright if I washed your hair?”

“Are you asking me or are you telling me something?” Yuri replied with full snark, and cringed internally.

“I’d like to,” Flynn added, quieter now.

“Why don’t you just join me?” The words rushed out before Yuri had even realized that he had said them.

“Are you sure?” Without even looking, Yuri could see the hesitation on Flynn’s face.

“Yes.” There’s a lot more certainty in that one statement than in anything else that had been exchanged that evening, or in recent memory. Flynn didn’t respond, at least not with words, but Yuri heard clothing hit the floor and he moved forward to make more room in the tub. Then there’s a solid body behind him that takes a seat, and more water was sent to the floor. With a grin, Yuri can’t resist saying, “Better not be making a mess.”

“Shut it.” Flynn’s tone was playful and Yuri was relieved by this. Wasting no time, Yuri’s long hair was combed through by Flynn’s fingers as they work their way upwards. He didn’t bother trying to supress the keening noises as hands expertly massaged at his scalp, and the fond chuckles that he got as a reaction causes warmth to blossom within his ribcage. Lost in these sensations, he nearly missed how he’s slowly been pulled backwards; he doesn’t, however, miss the arms that have snaked themselves around his chest, and he responded by resting the back of his head in the crook on Flynn’s neck. This is good, and try as he may to deny it, Yuri cannot help but feel that this is the closest thing to home he’ll ever have. 

“I’m sorry if I worried you,” Yuri eventually murmured. “And I’m sorry about this. And what I’ve done to you. To us.”

“You’ll always worry me, intentional or not.” A kiss is pressed to Yuri’s temple while he still processes that he’s said _us_ and what that means in their mutual weirdness; much like the kiss, it’s as sweet as it is undeserved. “Stay with me the night?”

“I’m afraid I’m much too sore to be any fun.” Still unable to reach much higher than his own shoulder, Yuri settled on linking their fingers together.

“I didn’t mean like that,” Flynn snorted. “Let’s just exist for a little while. Together.”

With the remaining strength he had left, Yuri managed to wriggle out of the grasp and face Flynn. There’s plenty of complicated emotions behind those blue eyes, but what shines and has always shone the brightest is devotion. They breathe one another in, and then Yuri dares to close the space between them in the only way that he knows how to return the sentiment.


End file.
